1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cutting-folding machine and more particularly, to a fiber/plastic sheet product cutting-folding machine, which enhances the neatness of processed and folded fiber/plastic sheet products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional fiber sheet product cutting-folding machine is shown. As illustrated, this conventional fiber sheet product cutting-folding machine 10 is adapted for cutting and folding fiber sheet products, comprising a cutting wheel 11, a rotary wheel 13, a differential wheel 15, a first folding wheel 171, and a second folding wheel 173.
The cutting wheel 11 and the rotary wheel 13 are disposed adjacent to each other and rotatable in reversed directions, for example, the cutting wheel 11 is rotatable in counter-clockwise direction and the rotary wheel 13 is rotatable in clockwise direction. The cutting wheel 11 has a plurality of cutters 111 attached thereto. The rotary wheel 13 has a plurality of open recesses 131 spaced around the periphery thereof. During rotation of the cutting wheel 11 and the rotary wheel 13, the cutters 111 of the cutting wheel 11 will coincide with the open recesses 131 of the rotary wheel 13, causing the cutters 111 of the cutting wheel 11 to cut through the fiber sheet product 12 at the open recesses 131, as shown in FIG. 1A. Each cutter 111 of the cutting wheel 11 has a serrated cutting edge, facilitating cutting through the fiber sheet product 12 at the corresponding open recess 131, and making a serrated edge on the fiber/plastic sheet product 22, as shown in FIG. 2A.
The differential wheel 15 is disposed adjacent to the rotary wheel 13 and the first folding wheel 171. The rotary wheel 13 receives the well-cut fiber sheet product 12 and transfers it to the first folding wheel 171 via the differential wheel 15, as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C. The differential wheel 15 and the first folding wheel 171 have different circumferences and different rotational speeds. Thus, during delivery of the well-cut fiber sheet product 12 from the differential wheel 15 to the first folding wheel 171, the rotational speed difference between the differential wheel 15 and the first folding wheel 171 causes the fiber sheet product 12 to be overlapped, as shown in FIG. 2B. In this embodiment, the rotational speed of the differential wheel 15 is greater than the rotational speed of the first folding wheel 171. The first folding wheel 171 and the second folding wheel 173 can further fold up the partially folded fiber sheet product 12, forming a common interfold fiber sheet product 12, as shown in FIG. 2C.
Using the aforesaid fiber sheet product cutting-folding machine 10 can cut and fold a fiber sheet product 12. However, this design of fiber sheet product cutting-folding machine 10 has drawbacks in actual application. As shown in FIG. 1A, when one cutter 111 cuts through the fiber sheet product 12 at one open recess 131, the cutter 111 imparts a pressure to the fiber sheet product 12, causing the fiber sheet product 12 to be stretched or moved out of place and leading to unequal fiber sheet product cut-piece length.
After cutting by one cutter 111, the cut end edge of the fiber sheet product 12 exhibits a serrated structure, causing a larger fiber sheet product cut-piece length tolerance. Variation in length or position between cut pieces of the fiber sheet product 12 or formation of the serrated structure on the end edge of the fiber sheet product 12 may cause the end edge of each cut piece of fiber sheet product 12 to be falsely folded, leading to an unequal thickness of folded stack of fiber sheet product, as shown in FIG. 2D, and complicating the follow-up packing process.
The first folding wheel 171 and the second folding wheel 173 each are equipped with at least one gripper 1711/1731 for gripping the fiber sheet product 12 to complete the folding of the fiber sheet product 12. The first folding wheel 171 is disposed adjacent to the differential wheel 15. To facilitate smooth rotation of the first folding wheel 171 and the differential wheel 15, the differential wheel 15 provides at least one open recess 151 at the periphery thereof corresponding to the at least one gripper 1711 so that the at least one open recess 151 can coincide with the at least one gripper 1711 during rotation of the first folding wheel 171 and the differential wheel 15, as shown in FIG. 1C. When the rotary wheel 13 is transferring the fiber sheet product 12 to the differential wheel 15, the fiber sheet product 12 is transferred by one open recess 131 of the rotary wheel 13 to one open recess 151 of the differential wheel 15, as shown in FIG. 1B. This transferring method cannot accurately and smoothly transfer the fiber sheet product 12, and the fiber sheet product 12 may be biased easily during transfer, resulting in poor neatness of the folded fiber sheet product 12.